1912, The Windsor Magazine, An Illustrated Monthly for Men and Women, volume 36, page 296

“Here,” said Wigmore, “no bickering tonight, and no politics either. I’m off the chain, and we’re going to take you out to dinner at Oddy’s, and a theatre.”

1946, Charles Allen Oakley, The Second City, Blackie, page 162

although shop-assistants, among others, had to work longer hours, even up to 9 and 10 o’clock, for Saturday night became one of the busiest shopping times of the week, a sufficiently large number of people were “off the chain” by midday to give rise for the first time to the problem of what to do with leisure.

For ten years—from 1885 to 1895—this system continued unchanged, and in it there was no room for a holiday for me, a month, a fortnight, even a week off the chain; at the most a rare day. And relentlessly was I held on the chain.

Steward Niles Korbet, agrees: “I like my job better than any other job. Even if I wasn’t making B’s—’cause I'm off the chain.” The regularity of the chain is directly related to the workers’ complaints of monotony and tiring work; but the chain’s regularity is also related to the high bonus which the workers make.

1966 Helen MacInnes, The Double Image, Harcourt Inc, page 29

The morose Ed Wilshot poured himself another drink and mumbled something about taking three weeks off the chain and heading south for some sunshine.

“I saw the ring (Tuesday), and it was just unbelievable. That it was my turn to be one of those select few to achieve the ultimate success. It is, what we say, ‘off the chain.’ So it was really an enjoyable moment.”

“I’ve had celebrities showing up spending a grip in there. I’ve got dancers performing, the whole nine! It's off the chain, Tremel...off the chain. Aren’t you proud of me? Your boy Vic or Vagina, whatever his name is, he’s not making moves like that is he?”

When I arrived at the Waldorf I was taken away by its grandeur. The party was located on the 42nd floor in the Tower Suites. The room was completely off the chain. I am so glad that Tracy accepted the invite to go with me and she had a good time. There were a lot of good-looking African men there.